220-1102 Software Troubleshooting Practice Question
A user reports that their Windows 10 computer is running slowly, and applications take a long time to open. The technician opens Task Manager. Which tab should the technician use to see which application is using the most CPU resources?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse the Performance tab (which shows overall CPU usage graphs) with the ability to identify the specific application causing high CPU, but only the Processes tab provides per-process CPU utilization details.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Processes
The Processes tab in Task Manager displays a list of all running processes, including applications and background processes, along with their current CPU, memory, disk, and network usage. By sorting the CPU column in descending order, the technician can quickly identify which application is consuming the most CPU resources, directly addressing the user's complaint of slow performance and long application load times.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Processes
Why this is correct
The Processes tab in Task Manager is the correct location because it lists every running application and background process with live columns for CPU, memory, disk, and network usage. By sorting the CPU column in descending order, a technician can instantly identify which process is monopolizing system resources and causing the computer to run slowly, then right-click to End Task if necessary.
- ✗
Services
Why it's wrong here
The Services tab is incorrect because it is designed to manage Windows services—background system components that run even without a user session—and shows their Status, PID, and Description, but not their per-process CPU usage. While a runaway service could theoretically cause slowness, the Processes tab already surfaces such services as svchost.exe entries, making the Services tab unnecessary and less direct for diagnosing application-level slowdowns.
- ✗
Performance
Why it's wrong here
The Performance tab provides high-level, real-time graphs of overall CPU, memory, disk, and network utilization, along with metrics like percentage utilization and speed, but it does not enumerate individual processes or their resource consumption. It is useful for determining which resource is saturated (e.g., CPU is at 100%) but lacks the granularity to identify the particular application responsible, so it cannot directly diagnose the culprit.
- ✗
Startup
Why it's wrong here
The Startup tab lists applications and shortcuts configured to launch during Windows login, each marked as Enabled or Disabled with a Startup Impact rating (Low, Medium, High). It does not reflect current running processes or live CPU usage, so it is only relevant for reducing boot time or preventing bloat at startup—not for diagnosing an ongoing performance problem that occurs after the system has been running.
Go deeper
Related to this question
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Troubleshoot: Application Compatibility Mode
Key term
Slow performance
Slow performance means a computer, application, or network takes longer than expected to complete tasks, often due to resource limits, software conflicts, or hardware degradation.
Key term
Task Manager
Task Manager is a built-in Windows utility that shows running programs, processes, and system performance, allowing users to monitor and manage computer activity.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1102 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1102 exam.